VOA标准英语 Clinton Welcomes 'Overture' From Cuban Leader

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Friday said U.S. policy toward Cuba's communist government, which features a decades-old economic blockade, has failed and she is calling Raul Castro's offer of talks with Washington on the full range issues between the two adversaries¹ "a very welcome overture²."
　
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Dominican republic, 17 Apr 2009

Clinton spoke³ at an Internet "town hall meeting" in the Dominican Republic capital, Santo Domingo, as she prepared to fly to Trinidad and Tobago to join U.S. President Barack Obama at the 34-nation Summit of the Americas.

Responding to an e-mailed question from a participant named Juan about U.S.-Cuban relations, Clinton said Mr. Obama has initiated⁴ the most significant policy changes toward Cuba in decades, and that the administration is looking for "more productive ways forward" in dealing⁵ with its Caribbean neighbor:
　
Cuban President Raul Castro at the closing ceremony of the Bolivarian Alternative trade pact⁶ summit in Venezuela, 17 Apr 2009

"You are familiar with President Obama's view that engagement is a useful tool to advance our national interests, and the goals of promoting human rights and democracy and prosperity and progress," she noted⁷. "I don't know if Juan, who I hope is watching and listening to us, knew that earlier today Raul Castro made some comments which we have seen. We welcome his comments, the overture that they represent, and we're taking a very serious look at how we intend to respond," she added.

President Obama eased the U.S. embargo⁸ on Cuba earlier this week when he scrapped⁹ restrictions¹⁰ on travel by Cuban Americans to their homeland and cleared the way for U.S. telecommunications firms to operate in Cuba.

The President said Thursday it was up to Cuba to take the next step and Mr. Castro, in apparent response in Venezuela, said his government is ready for dialogue on every issue, including human rights, press freedom, and political prisoners - provided the talks occur on equal terms without challenging Cuba's sovereignty.

The Castro remarks were also welcomed, as "a positive step," by State Department Acting¹¹ Spokesman Robert Wood, though he told reporters here Cuba should take some tangible¹² steps in response to President Obama's actions earlier this week:

"We urge Cuba to release political prisoners, to allow for a free flow on information and for freedom of assembly. So we look for the Cuban government to reciprocate¹³ those steps that President Obama just announced," he said.

Spokesman Wood did not say the administration wants human rights gestures from Cuba as a condition for talks.

President Obama and the Secretary of State are expected to hear calls for U.S.-Cuban rapprochement from a number of countries attending the Summit of the Americas.

Clinton told her Santo Domingo audience the summit is an opportunity for the new administration to illustrate¹⁴ the "change in direction" it is pursuing and to address some of the major issues that confront the Hemisphere including drug trafficking, poverty and insecurity.

1 adversaries   

n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• That would cause potential adversaries to recoil from a challenge. 这会迫使潜在的敌人在挑战面前退缩。 来自辞典例句
• Every adversaries are more comfortable with a predictable, coherent America. 就连敌人也会因有可以预料的，始终一致的美国而感到舒服得多。 来自辞典例句

2 overture   

n.前奏曲、序曲，提议，提案，初步交涉

参考例句：

• The opera was preceded by a short overture.这部歌剧开始前有一段简短的序曲。
• His overture led to nothing.他的提议没有得到什么结果。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

5 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

6 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

9 scrapped   

废弃(scrap的过去式与过去分词)； 打架

参考例句：

• This machine is so old that it will soon have to be scrapped. 这架机器太旧，快报废了。
• It had been thought that passport controls would be scrapped. 人们曾认为会放开护照管制。

10 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

11 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

12 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

13 reciprocate   

v.往复运动；互换；回报，酬答

参考例句：

• Although she did not reciprocate his feelings, she did not discourage him.尽管她没有回应他的感情，她也没有使他丧失信心。
• Some day I will reciprocate your kindness to me.总有一天我会报答你对我的恩德。

14 illustrate   

v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图

参考例句：

• The company's bank statements illustrate its success.这家公司的银行报表说明了它的成功。
• This diagram will illustrate what I mean.这个图表可说明我的意思。